diff --git a/api_v1.json b/api_v1.json
index 852cedc..82815bf 100644
--- a/api_v1.json
+++ b/api_v1.json
@@ -1274,30 +1274,19 @@
         } ]
       }
     },
-    "/api/v1/agent-rpc/rental-claim" : {
+    "/api/v1/agent-rpc/claim" : {
       "post" : {
         "tags" : [ "agent-rpc" ],
-        "summary" : "Submit rental agent claim",
-        "description" : "Requests a certain amount of money to be paid for a work done by a rental agent",
-        "operationId" : "submitRentalClaim",
-        "parameters" : [ {
-          "name" : "remoteSessionId",
-          "in" : "path",
-          "description" : "The remote session ID",
-          "required" : true,
-          "deprecated" : false,
-          "explode" : false,
-          "schema" : {
-            "type" : "string",
-            "title" : "String"
-          }
-        } ],
+        "summary" : "Submit an agent claim",
+        "description" : "Submits a claim for work performed",
+        "operationId" : "submitClaim",
+        "parameters" : [ ],
         "requestBody" : {
           "description" : "A description of the work done and the payment required",
           "content" : {
             "application/json" : {
               "schema" : {
-                "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/AgentPaymentClaimRequest"
+                "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/AgentClaimRequest"
               }
             }
           },
@@ -1310,24 +1299,13 @@
             "content" : {
               "application/json" : {
                 "schema" : {
-                  "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/AgentRemainingBudget"
+                  "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/AgentClaimResponse"
                 }
               }
             }
           },
-          "404" : {
-            "description" : "Remote session not found",
-            "headers" : { },
-            "content" : {
-              "application/json" : {
-                "schema" : {
-                  "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/RouteException"
-                }
-              }
-            }
-          },
-          "400" : {
-            "description" : "No payment associated with the session",
+          "401" : {
+            "description" : "Bad agent secret provided",
             "headers" : { },
             "content" : {
               "application/json" : {
@@ -3198,9 +3176,13 @@
               "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/SessionThread"
             },
             "title" : "ArrayList<SessionThread>"
+          },
+          "runningBudget" : {
+            "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/SessionRunningBudget",
+            "description" : "A counter for the session's running budget.  See SessionRunningBudget for more information"
           }
         },
-        "required" : [ "agents", "base", "threads" ],
+        "required" : [ "agents", "base", "runningBudget", "threads" ],
         "title" : "SessionStateExtended"
       },
       "SessionAgentState" : {
@@ -3359,6 +3341,10 @@
             "title" : "LinkedHashSet<String>",
             "uniqueItems" : true
           },
+          "runningBudget" : {
+            "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/SessionRunningBudget",
+            "description" : "A counter for the agent's running budget.  See SessionRunningBudget for more information"
+          },
           "annotations" : {
             "type" : "object",
             "additionalProperties" : {
@@ -3366,17 +3352,9 @@
               "title" : "String"
             },
             "title" : "LinkedHashMap<String,String>"
-          },
-          "tokensByModel" : {
-            "type" : "object",
-            "additionalProperties" : {
-              "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/TokenUsage"
-            },
-            "description" : "Token usage broken down by provider/model (e.g. 'openai/gpt-4.1')",
-            "title" : "LinkedHashMap<String,TokenUsage>"
           }
         },
-        "required" : [ "annotations", "links", "name", "registryAgentIdentifier", "status", "tokensByModel" ],
+        "required" : [ "annotations", "links", "name", "registryAgentIdentifier", "runningBudget", "status" ],
         "title" : "SessionAgentState"
       },
       "RegistryAgentIdentifier" : {
@@ -3441,22 +3419,54 @@
         "required" : [ "name", "registrySourceId", "version" ],
         "title" : "RegistryAgentIdentifier"
       },
-      "TokenUsage" : {
+      "SessionRunningBudget" : {
         "type" : "object",
         "properties" : {
-          "inputTokens" : {
+          "startBudget" : {
             "type" : "integer",
-            "format" : "int64",
-            "title" : "Long"
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
           },
-          "outputTokens" : {
+          "clamp" : {
+            "type" : "boolean",
+            "title" : "Boolean"
+          },
+          "remaining" : {
             "type" : "integer",
-            "format" : "int64",
-            "title" : "Long"
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "overclaim" : {
+            "type" : "integer",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "claims" : {
+            "type" : "array",
+            "items" : {
+              "$ref" : "#/components/schemas/SessionBudgetClaim"
+            },
+            "title" : "ArrayList<SessionBudgetClaim>"
+          }
+        },
+        "required" : [ "claims", "clamp", "overclaim", "remaining", "startBudget" ],
+        "title" : "SessionRunningBudget"
+      },
+      "SessionBudgetClaim" : {
+        "type" : "object",
+        "properties" : {
+          "amount" : {
+            "type" : "integer",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "description" : {
+            "type" : "string",
+            "title" : "String"
+          },
+          "timestamp" : {
+            "type" : "string",
+            "title" : "UTC timestamp ISO-8601"
           }
         },
-        "required" : [ "inputTokens", "outputTokens" ],
-        "title" : "TokenUsage"
+        "required" : [ "amount", "description", "timestamp" ],
+        "title" : "SessionBudgetClaim"
       },
       "SessionAgentUsageReport" : {
         "type" : "object",
@@ -4706,6 +4716,11 @@
                   "type" : "boolean",
                   "description" : "If this is true, the agent will be killed immediately.  If this is false, the agent will only be killed if the claim requests for automatic closing.",
                   "title" : "Boolean"
+                },
+                "forceDelay" : {
+                  "type" : "string",
+                  "description" : "If force killing is enabled, it will be delayed by this amount before the agent is killed.  If this delay is too low the agent may be killed before it handles to response to a claim",
+                  "title" : "Duration"
                 }
               },
               "required" : [ "force", "minimum", "type" ],
@@ -4985,6 +5000,11 @@
                   "type" : "boolean",
                   "description" : "If this is true, when an agent claims from the session budget that is below the minimum, the agent will be killed immediately.  If this is false, the agent will only be killed if the agent requests for automatic closing.",
                   "title" : "Boolean"
+                },
+                "forceDelay" : {
+                  "type" : "string",
+                  "description" : "If force killing is enabled, it will be delayed by this amount before the agent is killed.  If this delay is too low the agent may be killed before it handles to response to a claim",
+                  "title" : "Duration"
                 }
               },
               "required" : [ "force", "minimum", "type" ],
@@ -5002,6 +5022,11 @@
                   "type" : "integer",
                   "description" : "The minimum value, specified in micro cents. $1.00 is 100000000 and $0.01 is 1000000.",
                   "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+                },
+                "delay" : {
+                  "type" : "string",
+                  "description" : "The delay before the session is killed.  If this delay is too low, the agent whose claim triggered this may be killed before it receives the response to that claim",
+                  "title" : "Duration"
                 }
               },
               "required" : [ "minimum", "type" ],
@@ -7783,88 +7808,55 @@
         "required" : [ "participantName", "threadId" ],
         "title" : "RemoveParticipantInput"
       },
-      "AgentPaymentClaimRequest" : {
+      "AgentClaimRequest" : {
         "type" : "object",
         "properties" : {
           "amount" : {
-            "anyOf" : [ {
-              "type" : "object",
-              "properties" : {
-                "type" : {
-                  "type" : "string",
-                  "enum" : [ "coral" ],
-                  "title" : "String"
-                },
-                "amount" : {
-                  "type" : "number",
-                  "format" : "double",
-                  "title" : "Double"
-                }
-              },
-              "required" : [ "amount", "type" ],
-              "title" : "coral"
-            }, {
-              "type" : "object",
-              "properties" : {
-                "type" : {
-                  "type" : "string",
-                  "enum" : [ "micro_coral" ],
-                  "title" : "String"
-                },
-                "amount" : {
-                  "type" : "integer",
-                  "format" : "int64",
-                  "title" : "Long"
-                }
-              },
-              "required" : [ "amount", "type" ],
-              "title" : "micro_coral"
-            }, {
-              "type" : "object",
-              "properties" : {
-                "type" : {
-                  "type" : "string",
-                  "enum" : [ "usd" ],
-                  "title" : "String"
-                },
-                "amount" : {
-                  "type" : "number",
-                  "format" : "double",
-                  "title" : "Double"
-                }
-              },
-              "required" : [ "amount", "type" ],
-              "title" : "usd"
-            } ],
-            "description" : "The amount to claim.  This will be converted to Coral when received",
-            "discriminator" : {
-              "propertyName" : "type"
-            },
-            "title" : "AgentClaimAmount"
+            "type" : "integer",
+            "description" : "The claim amount, specified in micro cents. $1.00 is 100000000 and $0.01 is 1000000.",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "description" : {
+            "type" : "string",
+            "description" : "A description of the claim, must be at most 256 characters long",
+            "title" : "String"
+          },
+          "autoKill" : {
+            "type" : "boolean",
+            "description" : "Set this to false if the agent wants to handle budget exhaustion itself. Budget settings may kill agents on budget exhaustion even if this is set to false",
+            "title" : "Boolean"
           }
         },
-        "required" : [ "amount" ],
-        "title" : "AgentPaymentClaimRequest"
+        "required" : [ "amount", "autoKill", "description" ],
+        "title" : "AgentClaimRequest"
       },
-      "AgentRemainingBudget" : {
+      "AgentClaimResponse" : {
         "type" : "object",
-        "description" : "\n    This object is returned by the agent claim endpoint and represents the remaining budget for the agent.  The agent \n    should use this respond to decide whether whether it can continue providing services with the remaining budget.\n    \n    This object attaches a USD price for a Coral to it so that agents do not have to make multiple calls to the pricing \n    endpoint to determine the price of a Coral.  This field is an 'estimate', it can be based off cached data and may not \n    be accurate, so this should only be used if the agent represented it's rates in USD.\n    \n    If better accuracy is required agent-side, the budget should only use micro-corals.\n",
+        "description" : "A response to a claim request.",
         "properties" : {
-          "remainingBudget" : {
+          "requestedAmount" : {
             "type" : "integer",
-            "format" : "int64",
-            "description" : "The remaining budget for the agent, represented in micro-corals",
-            "title" : "Long"
+            "description" : "The amount requested, echoed back to the agent",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
           },
-          "coralUsdPrice" : {
-            "type" : "number",
-            "format" : "double",
-            "description" : "Current USD price for one whole Coral",
-            "title" : "Double"
+          "fulfilledAmount" : {
+            "type" : "integer",
+            "description" : "The amount of the budget that could be fulfilled. If this is not equal to the requested amount, the budget was exhausted.",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "remainingAmount" : {
+            "type" : "integer",
+            "description" : "\n        The remaining budget available to the agent. This includes the agent budget and the session budget, if the agent is configured to use it. \n        \n        NOTE: It is possible that the budgets are configured to warn when empty, which will allow claims to exceed the defined budgets. It is possible that the remaining amount reaches zero but claiming is still possible.\n        ",
+            "title" : "AgentBudgetUnit"
+          },
+          "shouldExit" : {
+            "type" : "boolean",
+            "description" : "If this is true, the claim resulted in a budget exhaustion that should cause the agent to exit.",
+            "title" : "Boolean"
           }
         },
-        "required" : [ "coralUsdPrice", "remainingBudget" ],
-        "title" : "AgentRemainingBudget"
+        "required" : [ "fulfilledAmount", "remainingAmount", "requestedAmount", "shouldExit" ],
+        "title" : "AgentClaimResponse"
       },
       "X402ProxyRequest" : {
         "type" : "object",
diff --git a/src/lib/components/app-sidebar.svelte b/src/lib/components/app-sidebar.svelte
index 674c8a8..97e054f 100644
--- a/src/lib/components/app-sidebar.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/components/app-sidebar.svelte
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 	import IconEnvelopeOpen from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconEnvelopeOpenRegular.svelte';
 	import IconDotsThree from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconDotsThreeRegular.svelte';
 	import IconCheckRegular from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconCheckRegular.svelte';
+	import { sessionDraft, recentSession } from '$lib/sessionDraftData';
 
 	import * as Popover from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/popover/index.js';
 
@@ -358,8 +359,14 @@
 				<Sidebar.Menu>
 					<SidebarLink url="{base}/" icon={IconHome} title="Overview" />
 
-					<div use:tourTarget={'workbench'}>
+					<div use:tourTarget={'workbench'} class="relative w-full">
 						<SidebarLink url="{base}/workbench" icon={IconCircuity} title="Workbench" />
+						{#if sessionDraft.current && sessionDraft.current.agentGraphRequest.agents.length > 0}
+							<Badge
+								class="text-muted-foreground pointer-events-none absolute top-1 right-1 bottom-1 my-auto italic"
+								variant="secondary">draft</Badge
+							>
+						{/if}
 					</div>
 					<Sidebar.MenuSub>
 						<div use:tourTarget={'templates'}>
diff --git a/src/lib/sessionCreatorContext.ts b/src/lib/sessionCreatorContext.ts
index 4d588e9..ea0fbf5 100644
--- a/src/lib/sessionCreatorContext.ts
+++ b/src/lib/sessionCreatorContext.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ import type { CoralServer } from './CoralServer.svelte';
 import { z } from 'zod';
 import type { SuperForm, SuperFormData, SuperFormErrors } from 'sveltekit-superforms/client';
 
-type AgentSource = 'marketplace' | 'linked' | 'local';
+export type AgentSource = 'marketplace' | 'linked' | 'local';
 
-type SessionCreatorContext = {
+export type SessionCreatorContext = {
 	payload: CreateSessionRequest | null;
 	importSession: (options: { success?: string; from: string }) => boolean;
 	addAgent: (name: string, source: AgentSource, version: string) => Promise<void>;
diff --git a/src/lib/sessionDraftData.ts b/src/lib/sessionDraftData.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0c57b63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/sessionDraftData.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { PersistedState } from 'runed';
+import type z from 'zod';
+import {
+	makeFormSchema,
+	type CreateSessionRequest,
+	type FormSchema
+} from '$lib/sessionSchema/types';
+
+export const sessionDraft = new PersistedState<CreateSessionRequest | null>(
+	'sessionDraftData',
+	null
+);
+
+export const recentSession = new PersistedState('recentSession', false, { storage: 'session' });
diff --git a/src/routes/(app)/workbench/+page.svelte b/src/routes/(app)/workbench/+page.svelte
index 8c2fc50..ee3dbf8 100644
--- a/src/routes/(app)/workbench/+page.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/(app)/workbench/+page.svelte
@@ -1,31 +1,5 @@
-<script lang="ts" module>
-	import { Context, Debounced, useDebounce } from 'runed';
-	import type { SuperForm, SuperFormData, SuperFormErrors } from 'sveltekit-superforms/client';
-	import type { FormSchema } from '$lib/sessionSchema';
-	import type z from 'zod';
-
-	// FIXME: why is this hardcoded
-	export type AgentSource = 'marketplace' | 'linked' | 'local';
-
-	export type SessionCreatorContext = {
-		payload: CreateSessionRequest | null;
-		importSession: (options: { success?: string; from: string }) => boolean;
-		addAgent: (name: string, source: AgentSource, version: string) => Promise<void>;
-
-		selectedAgent: number | null;
-		detailedAgent: Awaited<ReturnType<CoralServer['lookupAgent']>> | null;
-
-		form: SuperForm<z.output<FormSchema>>;
-		formData: SuperFormData<z.output<FormSchema>>;
-		errors: SuperFormErrors<z.output<FormSchema>>;
-	};
-</script>
-
 <script lang="ts">
-	import LoggedOutWarning from './LoggedOutWarning.svelte';
-
-	import Header from '$lib/components/header.svelte';
-
+	// ─── UI Component Library ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	import * as Sidebar from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/sidebar/index.js';
 	import * as Resizable from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/resizable/index.js';
 	import * as Tabs from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/tabs/index.js';
@@ -33,13 +7,21 @@
 	import * as Table from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/table/index.js';
 	import * as Form from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/form/index.js';
 	import * as Popover from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/popover/index.js';
-	import { Button, buttonVariants } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/button/index.js';
 	import * as Tooltip from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/tooltip/index.js';
 	import * as DropdownMenu from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/dropdown-menu/index.js';
 	import * as AlertDialog from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/alert-dialog/index.js';
-
+	import * as Dialog from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/dialog/index.js';
 	import * as Card from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/card/index.js';
+	import * as UnderlineTabs from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/underline-tabs/index.js';
+	import { Button, buttonVariants } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/button/index.js';
+	import { Checkbox } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/checkbox/index.js';
+	import { Label } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/label/index.js';
+	import { Separator } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/separator/index.js';
+	import { Spinner } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/spinner/index.js';
+	import { Pip, TwostepButton } from '@coral-os/component-library';
+	import { Skeleton } from '@coral-os/component-library/components/ui/skeleton/index.js';
 
+	// ─── Icons ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	import IconWrenchRegular from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconWrenchRegular.svelte';
 	import IconUsersThreeRegular from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconUsersThreeRegular.svelte';
 	import IconRobotRegular from '$lib/icons/robot.svelte';
@@ -49,103 +31,64 @@
 	import IconStorefront from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconStorefrontRegular.svelte';
 	import IconFileText from 'phosphor-icons-svelte/IconFileTextRegular.svelte';
 
-	import { Checkbox } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/checkbox/index.js';
-	import { Label } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/label/index.js';
-	import { Separator } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/separator/index.js';
-
-	import { Spinner } from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/spinner/index.js';
-	import { Pip, TwostepButton } from '@coral-os/component-library';
-
-	import SidebarTab from './SidebarTab.svelte';
+	// ─── Local Components ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	import Header from '$lib/components/header.svelte';
+	import Breadcrumbs from '$lib/components/Breadcrumbs.svelte';
 	import Graph from '$lib/components/Graph/Graph.svelte';
+	import LoggedOutWarning from './LoggedOutWarning.svelte';
+	import SidebarTab from './SidebarTab.svelte';
+	import AgentPicker from './AgentPicker.svelte';
+	import TemplatePicker from './TemplatePicker.svelte';
+	import TemplateSaver from './TemplateSaver.svelte';
+	import Bool from './options/Bool.svelte';
 
+	// ─── Panes ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+	import CodePane from './panes/CodePane.svelte';
+	import ToolsPane from './panes/ToolsPane.svelte';
+	import GroupsPane from './panes/GroupsPane.svelte';
+	import BudgetPane from './panes/BudgetPane.svelte';
+	import SessionPane from './panes/SessionPane.svelte';
+	import AgentPane from './panes/AgentPane.svelte';
+	import MarketPane from './panes/MarketPane.svelte';
+
+	// ─── Third-party Libraries ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	import { superForm, defaults } from 'sveltekit-superforms';
 	import { zod4 } from 'sveltekit-superforms/adapters';
+	import { SvelteFlowProvider } from '@xyflow/svelte';
+	import { PersistedState } from 'runed';
+	import { toast } from 'svelte-sonner';
+	import { string } from 'zod';
+	import { z } from 'zod';
+	import { Context, Debounced, useDebounce } from 'runed';
 
+	// ─── Svelte / SvelteKit ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	import { page } from '$app/state';
 	import { onMount, untrack } from 'svelte';
 
-	import { toast } from 'svelte-sonner';
-	import { PersistedState } from 'runed';
-
-	import { IsMobile } from '$lib/hooks/is-mobile.svelte';
-	import { Session } from '$lib/session.svelte';
+	// ─── App Internals ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 	import { appContext } from '$lib/context';
 	import { CoralServer, agentIdOf, type RegistryAgentIdentifier } from '$lib/CoralServer.svelte';
-
-	import { makeFormSchema, type CreateSessionRequest } from '$lib/sessionSchema/types';
-	import { toPayload } from '$lib/sessionSchema';
-	import { importFromPayload } from '$lib/sessionSchema';
-	import AgentPicker from './AgentPicker.svelte';
-	import TemplatePicker from './TemplatePicker.svelte';
-	import CodePane from './panes/CodePane.svelte';
-	import ToolsPane from './panes/ToolsPane.svelte';
-	import GroupsPane from './panes/GroupsPane.svelte';
-	import BudgetPane from './panes/BudgetPane.svelte';
-	import SessionPane from './panes/SessionPane.svelte';
-	import AgentPane from './panes/AgentPane.svelte';
-	import TemplateSaver from './TemplateSaver.svelte';
+	import { IsMobile } from '$lib/hooks/is-mobile.svelte';
+	import { Session } from '$lib/session.svelte';
+	import {
+		makeFormSchema,
+		type CreateSessionRequest,
+		type FormSchema
+	} from '$lib/sessionSchema/types';
+	import { toPayload, importFromPayload } from '$lib/sessionSchema';
+	import { sessionDraft, recentSession } from '$lib/sessionDraftData';
+	import {
+		setSessionContext,
+		type SessionCreatorContext,
+		type AgentSource
+	} from '$lib/sessionCreatorContext';
 	import { getSessionDataFromTemplateName } from './templates/TemplateLib';
 	import { tourTarget } from '$lib/components/tour/tourTarget';
-	import Breadcrumbs from '$lib/components/Breadcrumbs.svelte';
 	import { cn } from '$lib/utils';
-	import MarketPane from './panes/MarketPane.svelte';
-	import { Skeleton } from '@coral-os/component-library/components/ui/skeleton/index.js';
-	import { SvelteFlowProvider } from '@xyflow/svelte';
-	import * as UnderlineTabs from '@coral-os/component-library/ui/underline-tabs/index.js';
-	import { setSessionContext } from '$lib/sessionCreatorContext';
 	import config from '$lib/config';
 
-	function sourceToRegistryId(source: AgentSource): RegistryAgentIdentifier['registrySourceId'] {
-		switch (source) {
-			case 'local':
-				return { type: 'local' };
-
-			case 'marketplace':
-				return { type: 'marketplace' };
-
-			case 'linked':
-				return { type: 'linked', linkedServerId: 'default' };
-		}
-	}
-
-	const AGENT_REGEX = /^(marketplace|linked|local):(.+?)@(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)$/;
-
-	let parsedAgents: ParsedAgent[] = [];
+	// ─── Types ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-	onMount(async () => {
-		const agentsQuery = page.url.searchParams.get('agents');
-		const template = page.url.searchParams.get('template');
-		if (agentsQuery) {
-			toast('Parsing agents from URL...', { duration: 2000 });
-			try {
-				const result = parseAgentsQuery(agentsQuery);
-				parsedAgents = result.agents;
-
-				for (const agent of parsedAgents) {
-					console.log(
-						'following url instructions to add agent: ' +
-							agent.name +
-							'@' +
-							agent.version +
-							' from ' +
-							agent.source +
-							' '
-					);
-					toast.promise(sessCtx.addAgent(agent.name, agent.source, agent.version), {
-						loading: 'Adding agent...',
-						success: 'Agent added successfully',
-						error: (err: any) => `Failed: ${err.message || err}`
-					});
-				}
-			} catch (err) {
-				console.error('Failed to parse agents:', err);
-			}
-		}
-		if (template) {
-			loadTemplate(template);
-		}
-	});
 	interface ParsedAgent {
 		source: AgentSource;
 		name: string;
@@ -153,22 +96,32 @@
 		raw: string;
 	}
 
-	const loadTemplate = (template: string) => {
-		if (template) {
-			toast('Loading template...', { duration: 2000 });
-			try {
-				const templateSessionData = getSessionDataFromTemplateName(template);
+	type Settings = {
+		enableAgentGraphView: boolean;
+		columns: {
+			name: boolean;
+			version: boolean;
+			registrySource: boolean;
+			agent: boolean;
+		};
+	};
 
-				sessCtx.importSession({
-					from: templateSessionData,
-					success: 'Template loaded successfully'
-				});
-			} catch (err) {
-				console.error('Failed to load template:', err);
-				toast.error('Failed to load template: ' + err);
-			}
+	// ─── Constants ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	const AGENT_REGEX = /^(marketplace|linked|local):(.+?)@(\d+\.\d+\.\d+)$/;
+
+	// ─── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	function sourceToRegistryId(source: AgentSource): RegistryAgentIdentifier['registrySourceId'] {
+		switch (source) {
+			case 'local':
+				return { type: 'local' };
+			case 'marketplace':
+				return { type: 'marketplace' };
+			case 'linked':
+				return { type: 'linked', linkedServerId: 'default' };
 		}
-	};
+	}
 
 	function parseAgentsQuery(query: string | null) {
 		if (!query) return { agents: [], errors: [] as string[] };
@@ -181,14 +134,12 @@
 			if (!trimmed) continue;
 
 			const match = trimmed.match(AGENT_REGEX);
-
 			if (!match) {
 				errors.push(`Invalid agent format: "${trimmed}"`);
 				continue;
 			}
 
 			const [, source, name, version] = match;
-
 			agentsFromQuery.push({
 				source: source as AgentSource,
 				name: name ?? '',
@@ -200,63 +151,48 @@
 		return { agents: agentsFromQuery, errors };
 	}
 
-	let lastDeletedAgent: {
-		agent: any;
-		index: number;
-	} | null = $state(null);
-
-	const removeAgent = (index: number) => {
-		if (index < 0 || index >= $formData.agents.length) return;
+	// ─── App Context & Schema ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-		const agent = $formData.agents[index];
+	let ctx = appContext.get();
+	let formSchema = $derived(makeFormSchema(ctx.server));
 
-		lastDeletedAgent = {
-			agent,
-			index
-		};
+	// ─── Persisted State ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-		$formData.agents.splice(index, 1);
-		$formData.agents = $formData.agents;
-
-		// Maintain selection invariants
-		if (sessCtx.selectedAgent !== null) {
-			if (sessCtx.selectedAgent === index) {
-				sessCtx.selectedAgent = 0;
-			} else if (sessCtx.selectedAgent > index) {
-				sessCtx.selectedAgent--;
-			}
+	const settings = new PersistedState<Settings>('appSettings', {
+		enableAgentGraphView: true,
+		columns: {
+			name: true,
+			version: true,
+			registrySource: true,
+			agent: true
 		}
+	});
 
-		toast(`Agent "${lastDeletedAgent.agent.name}" deleted`, {
-			action: {
-				label: 'Undo',
-				onClick: restoreAgent
-			}
-		});
-	};
-
-	const restoreAgent = () => {
-		if (!lastDeletedAgent) return;
-
-		$formData.agents.splice(lastDeletedAgent.index, 0, lastDeletedAgent.agent);
-
-		$formData.agents = $formData.agents;
-		toast.success('Agent "' + lastDeletedAgent.agent.name + '" restored');
-
-		sessCtx.selectedAgent = lastDeletedAgent.index;
-
-		lastDeletedAgent = null;
-	};
-
-	let ctx = appContext.get();
+	const lastSession = new PersistedState<{
+		sessionId: string | null;
+		namespace: string | null;
+		closeLastSession: boolean;
+	}>('lastSession', {
+		sessionId: null,
+		namespace: null,
+		closeLastSession: true
+	});
 
-	let formSchema = $derived(makeFormSchema(ctx.server));
+	// ─── UI State ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	let currentTab = $state('agent');
-
+	let agentsListTabs: string = $state('table');
 	let sendingForm = $state(false);
-
+	let loadingAgent = $state(false);
 	let templateSaverDialogOpen = $state(false);
+	let loggedOutDialog = $state(false);
+	let view = $state('workbench');
+	let overwriteDraft = $state({ template: '', override: false });
+	let lastDeletedAgent: { agent: any; index: number } | null = $state(null);
+	let parsedAgents: ParsedAgent[] = [];
+	let initialised = $state(false);
+
+	// ─── Form Setup ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	// svelte-ignore state_referenced_locally
 	let form = superForm(defaults(zod4(formSchema)), {
@@ -266,12 +202,6 @@
 		validationMethod: 'onblur',
 		resetForm: false,
 		async onUpdate({ form: f }) {
-			// console.log('[onUpdate]', {
-			// 	form: f
-			// });
-
-			// console.trace('SUPERFORM onUpdate fired');
-
 			if (!f.valid) {
 				toast.error('Please fix all errors in the form.');
 				console.error({ errors: f.errors });
@@ -294,24 +224,19 @@
 								}
 							}
 						})
-						.catch((e) => {
-							console.error('Failed to close last session:', e);
-						});
+						.catch((e) => console.error('Failed to close last session:', e));
 				}
 
 				const body = await toPayload(ctx.server, $formData);
-				const res = await ctx.server.api.POST('/api/v1/local/session', {
-					body
-				});
+				const res = await ctx.server.api.POST('/api/v1/local/session', { body });
 
 				if (res.error) {
-					// todo @alan there should probably be an api class where we can generic-ify the handling of this error
-					// with a proper type implementation too..!
 					let error: { message?: string; stackTrace?: string[] } = res.error;
 					console.error(error.stackTrace);
 					toast.error(`Failed to create session: ${error.message}`, { duration: Infinity });
 					return;
 				}
+
 				if (res.data) {
 					lastSession.current.sessionId = res.data.sessionId;
 					lastSession.current.namespace = ctx.server.namespace;
@@ -332,14 +257,14 @@
 		}
 	});
 
-	// This is a workaround for not being able to call superForm in a $derived
+	// Workaround: superForm validators can't be set in a $derived
 	$effect(() => {
 		form.options.validators = zod4(formSchema);
 	});
 
 	let { form: formData, errors, enhance } = $derived(form);
 
-	let loadingAgent = $state(false);
+	// ─── Session Context ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	let sessCtx = $state({
 		// svelte-ignore state_referenced_locally
@@ -347,7 +272,6 @@
 		// svelte-ignore state_referenced_locally
 		errors,
 		form,
-
 		payload: null,
 		selectedAgent: null,
 		detailedAgent: null,
@@ -372,31 +296,21 @@
 		},
 
 		addAgent: async (name: string, source: any, version: string) => {
-			if (loadingAgent) {
-				throw new Error('Already adding an agent, please wait');
-			}
+			if (loadingAgent) throw new Error('Already adding an agent, please wait');
 			loadingAgent = true;
+
 			const existingCount = $formData.agents.filter((a) => a.id.name === name).length;
 			const registrySourceId = sourceToRegistryId(source as AgentSource);
 
 			try {
-				const detailed = await ctx.server.lookupAgent({
-					name,
-					version,
-					registrySourceId
-				});
-
+				const detailed = await ctx.server.lookupAgent({ name, version, registrySourceId });
 				if (!detailed) {
 					loadingAgent = false;
 					throw new Error('Agent not found');
 				}
 
 				$formData.agents.push({
-					id: {
-						name,
-						version,
-						registrySourceId
-					},
+					id: { name, version, registrySourceId },
 					name: name + (existingCount > 0 ? `-${existingCount}` : ''),
 					description: detailed.registryAgent.info.description,
 					providerType: 'local',
@@ -418,7 +332,6 @@
 
 				$formData.agents = $formData.agents;
 				sessCtx.selectedAgent = $formData.agents.length - 1;
-				loadingAgent = false;
 			} catch (error) {
 				throw error as Error;
 			} finally {
@@ -429,6 +342,12 @@
 
 	setSessionContext(sessCtx);
 
+	$effect(() => {
+		sessCtx.formData = formData;
+		sessCtx.errors = errors;
+		sessCtx.form = form;
+	});
+
 	$effect(() => {
 		ctx.server.namespace;
 		toPayload(ctx.server, $formData)
@@ -437,11 +356,8 @@
 			})
 			.catch(console.error);
 	});
-	$effect(() => {
-		sessCtx.formData = formData;
-		sessCtx.errors = errors;
-		sessCtx.form = form;
-	});
+
+	// ─── Agent Selection & Detail ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	let curAgent = $derived(
 		sessCtx.selectedAgent !== null ? $formData.agents[sessCtx.selectedAgent] : undefined
@@ -451,8 +367,9 @@
 
 	$effect(() => {
 		const id = curAgentId;
-		sessCtx.selectedAgent; // track this so effect re-runs when same agent is added again
+		sessCtx.selectedAgent; // track so effect re-runs when same agent is added again
 		let active = true;
+
 		if (id) {
 			untrack(() => {
 				sessCtx.detailedAgent = null;
@@ -463,6 +380,7 @@
 		} else {
 			sessCtx.detailedAgent = null;
 		}
+
 		return () => {
 			active = false;
 		};
@@ -476,71 +394,110 @@
 		});
 	};
 
-	const isMobile = new IsMobile();
+	// ─── Agent CRUD ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-	let agentsListTabs: string = $state('table');
+	const removeAgent = (index: number) => {
+		if (index < 0 || index >= $formData.agents.length) return;
 
-	type Settings = {
-		enableAgentGraphView: boolean;
-		columns: {
-			name: boolean;
-			version: boolean;
-			registrySource: boolean;
-			agent: boolean;
-		};
-	};
+		const agent = $formData.agents[index];
+		lastDeletedAgent = { agent, index };
+		$formData.agents.splice(index, 1);
+		$formData.agents = $formData.agents;
 
-	const settings = new PersistedState<Settings>('appSettings', {
-		enableAgentGraphView: true,
-		columns: {
-			name: true,
-			version: true,
-			registrySource: true,
-			agent: true
+		if (sessCtx.selectedAgent !== null) {
+			if (sessCtx.selectedAgent === index) {
+				sessCtx.selectedAgent = 0;
+			} else if (sessCtx.selectedAgent > index) {
+				sessCtx.selectedAgent--;
+			}
 		}
-	});
 
-	const lastSession = new PersistedState<{
-		sessionId: string | null;
-		namespace: string | null;
-		closeLastSession: boolean;
-	}>('lastSession', {
-		sessionId: null,
-		namespace: null,
-		closeLastSession: true
-	});
+		toast(`Agent "${lastDeletedAgent.agent.name}" deleted`, {
+			action: { label: 'Undo', onClick: restoreAgent }
+		});
+	};
+
+	const restoreAgent = () => {
+		if (!lastDeletedAgent) return;
+
+		$formData.agents.splice(lastDeletedAgent.index, 0, lastDeletedAgent.agent);
+		$formData.agents = $formData.agents;
+		toast.success('Agent "' + lastDeletedAgent.agent.name + '" restored');
+		sessCtx.selectedAgent = lastDeletedAgent.index;
+		lastDeletedAgent = null;
+	};
+
+	// ─── Session Lifecycle ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 	function clearSession() {
 		$formData = {
 			groups: [],
 			tools: {},
-			sessionRuntimeSettings: {
-				ttl: 50000
-			},
+			sessionRuntimeSettings: { ttl: 50000 },
 			sessionBudgetSettings: {
-				budget: 100000,
-				exhaustionBehavior: {
-					type: 'kill_session',
-					minimum: 100
-				}
+				budget: 100000000,
+				exhaustionBehavior: { type: 'kill_session', minimum: 1000000 }
 			},
 			agents: []
 		};
 		sessCtx.selectedAgent = null;
 	}
 
+	let debouncedFormData = new Debounced(() => $formData, 100);
+
 	$effect(() => {
-		ctx.server.onNoAuth = onNoAuth;
+		const data = debouncedFormData.current;
+		if (!initialised || !data) return;
+
+		toPayload(ctx.server, data)
+			.then((payload) => {
+				untrack(() => {
+					sessCtx.payload = payload;
+					sessionDraft.current = payload;
+				});
+			})
+			.catch(console.error);
 	});
 
-	let loggedOutDialog = $state(false);
+	let emptySession = $derived(!loadingAgent && $formData.agents.length === 0);
+
+	// ─── Template Handling ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	const loadTemplate = (template: string, override?: boolean) => {
+		if (
+			sessionDraft.current &&
+			sessionDraft.current.agentGraphRequest?.agents.length > 0 &&
+			!override
+		) {
+			overwriteDraft = { template, override: true };
+		} else {
+			if (template) {
+				toast('Loading template...', { duration: 2000 });
+				try {
+					const templateSessionData = getSessionDataFromTemplateName(template);
+					sessCtx.importSession({
+						from: templateSessionData,
+						success: 'Template loaded successfully'
+					});
+				} catch (err) {
+					console.error('Failed to load template:', err);
+					toast.error('Failed to load template: ' + err);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	};
+
+	// ─── Auth / Login ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	$effect(() => {
+		ctx.server.onNoAuth = onNoAuth;
+	});
 
 	const onNoAuth = useDebounce(() => {
 		switch (config.PUBLIC_LOGIN_BEHAVIOUR) {
 			case 'token':
 				loggedOutDialog = true;
 				break;
-
 			case 'reload':
 				break;
 			default:
@@ -549,11 +506,72 @@
 		}
 	}, 500);
 
-	let view = $state('workbench');
+	// ─── Misc Hooks ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-	let emptySession = $derived(!loadingAgent && $formData.agents.length === 0);
+	const isMobile = new IsMobile();
+
+	// ─── Mount ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+	onMount(async () => {
+		if (sessionDraft.current && sessionDraft.current.agentGraphRequest.agents.length >= 0) {
+			// ensure required 'from' property is present for importSession
+			sessCtx.importSession({
+				from: JSON.stringify(sessionDraft.current),
+				success: 'Loaded previous workbench draft'
+			});
+		}
+
+		const agentsQuery = page.url.searchParams.get('agents');
+		const template = page.url.searchParams.get('template');
+
+		if (agentsQuery) {
+			toast('Parsing agents from URL...', { duration: 2000 });
+			try {
+				const result = parseAgentsQuery(agentsQuery);
+				parsedAgents = result.agents;
+
+				for (const agent of parsedAgents) {
+					console.log(
+						`following url instructions to add agent: ${agent.name}@${agent.version} from ${agent.source}`
+					);
+					toast.promise(sessCtx.addAgent(agent.name, agent.source, agent.version), {
+						loading: 'Adding agent...',
+						success: 'Agent added successfully',
+						error: (err: any) => `Failed: ${err.message || err}`
+					});
+				}
+			} catch (err) {
+				console.error('Failed to parse agents:', err);
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (template) {
+			loadTemplate(template);
+		}
+
+		initialised = true;
+	});
 </script>
 
+<Dialog.Root bind:open={overwriteDraft.override}>
+	<Dialog.Content>
+		<Dialog.Header>
+			<Dialog.Title>Overwrite current session?</Dialog.Title>
+			<Dialog.Description>
+				This action cannot be undone. This will delete any unsaved progress in the Workbench.
+			</Dialog.Description>
+		</Dialog.Header>
+		<Dialog.Footer>
+			<Dialog.Close>Close</Dialog.Close>
+			<Button
+				onclick={() => (
+					loadTemplate(overwriteDraft.template, true), (overwriteDraft.override = false)
+				)}>Continue</Button
+			>
+		</Dialog.Footer>
+	</Dialog.Content>
+</Dialog.Root>
+
 {#if sessCtx.payload}
 	<TemplateSaver bind:open={templateSaverDialogOpen} data={JSON.stringify(sessCtx.payload)} />
 {/if}
@@ -641,7 +659,7 @@
 			<Resizable.Pane defaultSize={75} minSize={25}>
 				<Resizable.PaneGroup direction="vertical">
 					<Resizable.Pane minSize={25} defaultSize={70} class="relative">
-						{#if emptySession}
+						{#if emptySession && initialised}
 							<div
 								class="absolute z-10 m-auto flex h-full w-full flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2"
 							>
@@ -692,6 +710,8 @@
 									</Card.Content>
 								</Card.Root>
 							</div>
+						{:else if !initialised}
+							<Spinner class="m-full absolute top-0 bottom-0 z-50 m-auto size-5 w-full" />
 						{/if}
 						<Card.Root class="h-full gap-0 py-0">
 							<Card.Content class=" flex h-full flex-col px-0">
@@ -805,7 +825,6 @@
 																	<Tooltip.Root>
 																		<Tooltip.Trigger>
 																			<TwostepButton
-																				disabled={sessCtx.selectedAgent === null}
 																				class="m-auto"
 																				variant="ghost"
 																				onclick={() => removeAgent(i)}
@@ -999,7 +1018,7 @@
 		</Resizable.PaneGroup>
 	{:else}
 		<Card.Root class="h-full w-full p-0">
-			<Card.Content class="h-full w-full p-0">
+			<Card.Content class="relative h-full w-full p-0">
 				<CodePane />
 			</Card.Content>
 		</Card.Root>